Since I bought a Kindle during the 2018 Spring Festival, I’ve really read many more books, and of course it has also improved my sleep. I even regret not getting one earlier. 2018 has passed for a few days now, so let me organize some of the books I read last year and make a review and archive.
“Advancement: How to Become a Very Capable Person”#
This book explores themes of self-improvement including time, action, and thinking.
My main excerpts:
How a person treats their time determines what kind of person they can become
When analyzing whether something is worth doing and how much energy to invest, we can evaluate from two perspectives: first, the size of the benefit this thing will bring to “me” in the present, this benefit can be mental, emotional, physical, or material - I call this “benefit value”; second, the speed at which this benefit decays over time, I call this “benefit half-life.” Events with long half-lives will have lasting impact
The time actually spent doing things is always longer than expected, even when expectations consider Hofstadter’s Law
Starting from theory doesn’t necessarily guide practice; only knowledge accumulated through reflection in practice can guide practice
Don’t just be an information porter. Through decoding, delve deep into things
“Creating JD.com” (Liu Qiangdong’s Personal Account of His Entrepreneurial Journey)#
This book introduces Liu Qiangdong’s entrepreneurial journey, from a small physical store to the JD.com empire, giving me much more respect for entrepreneurship
Key Insights:#
- Persistence: Success requires unwavering determination
- Customer Focus: Always prioritize customer needs
- Innovation: Continuous innovation drives growth
- Team Building: Strong teams are the foundation of success
“The Lean Startup” (Eric Ries)#
A revolutionary approach to building and managing startups.
Core Principles:#
- Build-Measure-Learn: The fundamental feedback loop
- Validated Learning: Learning through experimentation
- Minimum Viable Product (MVP): Start with the simplest version
- Pivot or Persevere: Make data-driven decisions
Key Takeaways:#
- Start with assumptions, not plans
- Test hypotheses quickly and cheaply
- Learn from failures and iterate
- Focus on what customers actually want
“Atomic Habits” (James Clear)#
A comprehensive guide to building good habits and breaking bad ones.
The Four Laws of Behavior Change:#
- Make it Obvious: Design your environment for success
- Make it Attractive: Use temptation bundling
- Make it Easy: Reduce friction for good habits
- Make it Satisfying: Create immediate rewards
Key Insights:#
- Small changes compound over time
- Systems are more important than goals
- Environment shapes behavior
- Identity change drives habit change
“Deep Work” (Cal Newport)#
Rules for focused success in a distracted world.
Core Concepts:#
- Deep Work: Professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration
- Shallow Work: Tasks that are easy to replicate and don’t create much value
- Attention Residue: The cost of switching between tasks
Strategies:#
- Monastic Philosophy: Complete isolation from distractions
- Bimodal Philosophy: Alternating between deep and shallow work
- Rhythmic Philosophy: Regular deep work sessions
- Journalistic Philosophy: Fitting deep work into any schedule
“The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” (Stephen Covey)#
A timeless guide to personal and professional effectiveness.
The 7 Habits:#
- Be Proactive: Take responsibility for your life
- Begin with the End in Mind: Have a clear vision
- Put First Things First: Prioritize important tasks
- Think Win-Win: Seek mutual benefit
- Seek First to Understand: Listen before speaking
- Synergize: Work together for better results
- Sharpen the Saw: Continuous self-renewal
“Thinking, Fast and Slow” (Daniel Kahneman)#
An exploration of the two systems that drive human thought.
System 1 vs System 2:#
- System 1: Fast, automatic, intuitive thinking
- System 2: Slow, deliberate, analytical thinking
Key Insights:#
- We’re not as rational as we think
- Cognitive biases affect our decisions
- Understanding these biases can improve decision-making
- Context and framing matter significantly
“The Power of Now” (Eckhart Tolle)#
A guide to spiritual enlightenment through present-moment awareness.
Core Teachings:#
- Present Moment: The only time that truly exists
- Ego: The source of suffering and conflict
- Acceptance: The key to inner peace
- Awareness: The path to transformation
“Sapiens” (Yuval Noah Harari)#
A brief history of humankind and how we became the dominant species.
Key Themes:#
- Cognitive Revolution: How language changed everything
- Agricultural Revolution: The transition to farming
- Scientific Revolution: The age of discovery and progress
- Future Implications: Where we’re heading as a species
“The Art of War” (Sun Tzu)#
Ancient Chinese military strategy with modern applications.
Key Principles:#
- Know Yourself and Your Enemy: Self-awareness and market research
- Strategy Over Tactics: Long-term thinking
- Adaptability: Flexibility in approach
- Efficiency: Maximum results with minimum effort
Reading Reflections#
What I Learned:#
- Consistency: Reading regularly has improved my focus and knowledge
- Diversity: Reading across different genres broadens perspective
- Application: The real value comes from applying what you learn
- Reflection: Taking notes and reflecting on key insights
Reading Habits:#
- Daily Reading: Aim for at least 30 minutes per day
- Note-Taking: Highlight and summarize key points
- Discussion: Share insights with others
- Application: Try to implement at least one idea from each book
Favorite Genres:#
- Self-Development: Personal growth and productivity
- Business: Entrepreneurship and management
- Psychology: Understanding human behavior
- History: Learning from the past
- Philosophy: Deep thinking about life
Goals for 2019#
Reading Targets:#
- Quantity: Read at least 24 books (2 per month)
- Quality: Focus on depth over breadth
- Application: Implement more ideas from books
- Sharing: Write more book reviews and summaries
Book Categories:#
- Technology: Stay updated with industry trends
- Leadership: Develop management skills
- Creativity: Enhance creative thinking
- Health: Improve physical and mental well-being
Conclusion#
Reading has become an integral part of my daily routine and personal development. The Kindle has made it much more convenient to read anywhere, anytime. The books I read in 2018 have significantly influenced my thinking and approach to life, work, and personal growth.
Key takeaways from my 2018 reading journey:
- Continuous Learning: Never stop learning and growing
- Practical Application: Knowledge without application is useless
- Diverse Perspectives: Read widely to understand different viewpoints
- Reflection: Take time to think about what you’ve learned
- Sharing: Share knowledge with others to reinforce learning
Looking forward to another year of reading and learning in 2019!